Ladd Springs

by Dianne Venetta

  Chapter Twenty

  Jeb took the main road, turning at the first light, the route out of town and into rural wasteland. A mix of forest and fields, there wasn’t much here. Farms had vanished, homes abandoned as people had given up wrestling with the land and moved out. Alarm shredded Delaney’s thoughts. Did they intend to shoot her and dump her in a remote area? She shuddered. Who would find her out here?

  No one.

  Resolve fired through her. She had to come up with a plan!

  Jeb glanced in the rearview mirror and Delaney felt him tense. He crushed the accelerator with his massive boot and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

  “What are you doing?” the smaller man cried. “You’re gonna cause the cops to follow us!”

  “We’ve got company.”

  Delaney twisted around and saw the familiar car racing toward them. Relief flooded her. Nick had found her.

  The skinny little man looked back and shrieked, “Who’s that?”

  “Not sure.” Jeb looked to her. “You know him?”

  Excitement swelled, but Delaney didn’t respond.

  Jeb looked over her head to his friend. “Hold on.”

  Angst zipped through her. The little man grabbed hold of the hand grip above his door. Delaney pressed her feet to the floorboard. Not much else she could do as Jeb spun the steering wheel sharply to the left, sending her into the man beside her. He sped down the dirt road, the truck’s frame jostling her bones as the large wheels hit deep grooves and ruts.

  Knocked back and forth between the two men, Delaney, heart racing, craned her head for another glimpse of Nick. He was following, but it was clear his car could not handle the uneven terrain like the truck could. Delaney glanced at Jeb. Maybe he wasn’t as dumb as she thought.

  Hanging on for dear life, the skinny man locked a white-knuckled grip to the hand hold above as the road curved up ahead. Several tree trunks stood near the road as it narrowed into the forest. “Watch out, Jeb!” he hollered.

  Jeb barreled forward in determined silence.

  Delaney braced herself. Using her feet and shoulders, she pressed her body into the seat back. Adrenaline flushed through her. She tried to keep centered, praying no cars were traveling in the opposite direction. Was Jeb crazy? They could all be killed!

  Gone were the grass and shrubs. Trees and curves dominated now, reducing visibility to nothing but leaves and tree trunks. It was darker in the shade, the scent of trees permeating the interior of the truck. She couldn’t tell if Nick was still behind them or not. This wasn’t Ladd land. She had no idea what lay up ahead.

  Did Jeb know where he was going?

  The truck slowed as they drove deeper into the woods, only because the landscape was getting in his way. Maybe it would give Nick a chance to catch up. The truck hit a massive rock, uprooting her from her seat. If his car would hold up, that is. Nick’s low-lying sports sedan tore at her spirit. This was tough going, even for a truck. There was no way Nick’s car would make it through.

  She had to get out. Delaney glanced sideways from man to man. Sandwiched between them, she couldn’t jump out. She surveyed the road ahead. There remained one option. She had to stop the truck. They were traveling slowly enough now, it might be possible. And if she could manage to stop the truck, she might be able to escape into the woods. They could shoot at her, but with all the trees, she had a fighting chance. Besides, she doubted they’d pursue her with Nick on their tail. Jeb had already proved he wasn’t completely ignorant. He must realize Nick would catch up with them, and he knew Nick had a gun.

  In a split decision, Delaney made her choice. Inching her left boot toward Jeb’s as they approached the curve ahead, she calculated the distance and counted—one -two-three. She jammed her boot onto Jeb’s and braced against her seat back, locking her legs into rods of steel.

  “What the—”

  But it was too late. As the truck hit a tree trunk with a sickening crunch, Delaney drove down into the lap on her right. Her head and shoulders hit the dashboard with a painful whack, her body bouncing back like a rag doll.

  Nick jammed the brakes to the floor. Damn it, there was no way his car would make it any farther. Not without dropping a chassis—which would be worth it if he thought the car stood a chance at catching up. But it wouldn’t.

  He jumped out, pulled his gun and took off running. He had no idea how far ahead the men were, but he would close the distance. He had to. Delaney was with them.

  There was no way he was going to let them hurt her. Spotting the curve up ahead, he cut through the forest. Time was of the essence.

  Momentarily stunned, Delaney popped her head up. She gauged the situation. Jeb was slumped over the steering wheel, his head a sticky mess of red. The scrawny man next to her shrieked, “What were you thinkin’?”

  Waves of pain rolled through her head, sharp and dull at the same time. Twisting her aching body, she swung her legs over his bony ones and kicked at the door. Sharp spasms erupted in her head, her shoulders. “Get out!” she commanded.

  Eyes slanting toward the inert Jeb, he froze.

  “Get out!” she yelled. Wedging the toe of her boot into the door handle, she tried to pull it open. “Open the door, damn it!” Delaney pulled frantically at the rope around her wrists.

  As though roused by some unseen force, the little man pushed his hands between her boots and thrust the door open. Visibly shaking, he slid out ahead of her, his gaze darting nervously about. Probably checking for Nick’s whereabouts.

  “He’s coming,” she warned him, shock and adrenaline firing her temper. A sweep of light-headedness made her pause. Shaking the dizziness, she scooted her bottom along the seat cushion behind him—until a hand grabbed her by the hair. The pain to her scalp, quick and severe.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Jeb growled.

  Tasting escape, she fought against Jeb, but he wrenched her head back. Fearing he would rip her hair out, she scrambled in his direction. Delaney worked to keep the loosened rope at her wrists concealed as he hauled her free of the vehicle.

  She might still have a chance to use it to her advantage.

  Dragging Delaney to her feet, Jeb snarled, “That was a stupid move.”

  Blood ran down the side of his face. Danger poured from his eyes.

  “What are we gonna do now?” came the bedraggled voice from the other side of the truck. “That man’s comin’ to get us! He’s comin’!”

  “Shut up, Willie!” Jeb yelled.

  Jumping about, the smaller man cried, “He’s gonna kill us! He’s gonna kill us!”

  “I’m gonna shoot you myself, you don’t shut your pie hole.”

  Willie struggled to remain still, bobbing about as though he needed to pee. Delaney turned to Jeb. His hand on her arm was hurting, but she had to delay. “He’s right. But if you let me go, you can walk away. Right now.” Nick needed time to catch up with them.

  Jeb jerked her roughly. “Don’t take me for a fool. Your boyfriend’s car can’t handle these roads. He’ll be lucky to make the first half a mile.”

  He wrenched her arm, she cried out in pain.

  “Let’s go, girl. And don’t try anything stupid—I already have orders to shoot you.” Her heart thwacked. “I’ll do it here if I have to.”

  Delaney managed to keep on her feet as Jeb forced her through the heavy brush. Her head had dissolved into a dull ache, most of her pain now coming from the hand digging into her arm. She wanted to work her hands free, but with Willie bringing up the rear, she feared even a slug like him would take notice and alert Jeb. And Jeb meant business, of that much she was sure.

  He stopped. She followed his gaze to a small house in the woods and her heart sank. What a perfect place to dump a body.

  Jeb plowed forward, an added spring to his step.

  With renewed panic, Delaney struggled for ideas. She couldn’t let it end this way! She had to fight! Had to escape! Willie looked at her, but quickly averted his eyes. Seemed
he, too, understood what was at hand.

  Delaney’s throat went dry, her lungs filled with pressure. With each step closer to the abandoned structure, fear shredded her insides. Four cement walls and collapsed roof, it was all Jeb needed to conceal her body. She tugged and pulled against the rope. If she could only wrangle a hand free—

  Jeb kicked in the front door and pushed her inside. Dust flew into the air. Delaney coughed, turning mouth and nose into her shoulder.

  “Stay out here and watch for him,” Jeb instructed Willie.

  “Ye-ye-yes sir,” Willie stammered. He glanced around the woods and looked like he expected to see a ghost.

  A shot rang out. Delaney dropped to her knees.

  Jeb swore, released her. A second shot nicked the door frame with a piercing ricochet. She ducked instinctively—thrilled. Nick had found her!

  Willie squealed as he ran into the house. Arms and legs flailing, he slipped and fell, crawling the rest of the way inside. Like a scared mouse, he scurried for safety behind Jeb.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” Jeb yelled, firing off a shot, taking cover behind the front wall.

  “I didn’t see him!” he wailed. Cowering with hands over his head, Willie looked as if he were trying to blend into the wall.

  Delaney quickly worked the rope from her wrists. This was her chance.

  The next bullet shattered the window, sending shards of glass tumbling across the floor near Willie

  “Let her go!” Nick called out.

  Delaney jumped up to run, but Jeb grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to him. He jabbed the barrel of his gun beneath her chin. Cold metal drilled into her skin.

  No one made a move. No one made a sound. She could feel Jeb’s heart pound at her back. The slick sweat of his arms moistened her shirt, his odor sour.

  Jeb moved Delaney toward the open doorway. Plastering his back to the safety of the cement wall, he eased his head between hers and the door jamb, breathing hard against her hair. He searched for sight of Nick.

  Trees, leaves, a dapple of light, but no Nick.

  “Last time,” Nick yelled. “Let her go or I’m coming in after her.”

  She and Jeb looked toward the direction of his voice. Other than the shimmer of sunlight through the jungle of green, she saw nothing. But he was there. Beneath the weight of Jeb’s meaty arm, her chest rose and fell with the hope of him. He was here. For her.

  “Go round back,” Jeb ordered Willie. “Run around and act as a distraction.”

  The man glanced up in horror. “What?”

  “You heard me,” Jeb hissed. “Go on.”

  Out back was nothing more than a hole in the wall—an avenue for escape if Willie decided to take it.

  Delaney seized the opportunity. “Save yourself, Willie. I’ll tell Nick not to shoot you, if you run now.”

  “Shut up!” Jeb barked into her ear. Delaney winced. Willie remained in place, though his expression registered the offer. “Go now, or I’ll shoot you myself!” he yelled.

  Willie scrambled to his feet. Wary of Jeb, his gaze flitted in and out of the house. He looked to Delaney, to Jeb. “I—I’m going out...” he stuttered, backing toward the far wall. “I didn’t mean to hurt nobody, I swear.”

  “Shut your trap—she’s lying about helping you!”

  Willie double-checked with Delaney. “You didn’t do anything,” she reaffirmed, and with an intent look from her eyes, willed him to run. “It’s not you they’ll want.”

  Jeb jabbed the pistol into the base of her head. She cried out. A bullet clipped the wall outside. As Willie wailed and dashed out the back, Jeb raised his gun and shot blindly into the woods out front.

  Willie could be heard hollering “Don’t shoot! I surrender, I surrender!”

  Jeb reeled off another shot and Delaney jabbed the heel of her boot into his knee. She was finished playing victim. With all her might she pushed away from him, but he yanked her back. Again, she kicked ferociously at Jeb’s. The time her effort threw him off balance, and the two of them fell through the front door, landing in a heap on the ground.

  Delaney kept up her struggle, hoping to give Nick the time he needed to move in. If Jeb was going to shoot her, now would be the time. She muttered a silent prayer, then bit into his forearm. Jeb yelped and rolled to his side. With a hand to her throat, he scanned the vicinity for Nick, and froze. Delaney peered up, coming face-to-face with the towering vision of Nick Harris, his gun trained at Jeb’s head. “Move a muscle and I blow your head off.”

  Jeb remained still as stone. Heart pounding, Delaney did likewise.

  “Toss the gun,” Nick said. Jeb did so. “Now get up. Slowly.”

  Delaney watched in stunned disbelief as Nick handled his weapon like a pro. Would he really shoot Jeb? Did he have it in him?

  Once Jeb was standing, Delaney rolled free and sprang to her feet. She burrowed into Nick’s side. “Thank God you’re here,” she rasped, pulse skittering through her veins. The large, masculine bicep of a man never felt so good.

  Maintaining focus on Jeb, Nick told her, “Call the police. And this time, no argument.”

  Giddy with relief, Delaney almost laughed. Protest? Then it dawned upon her. “I don’t have my phone. Clem took it.”

  Jeb stared at the two of them, and Delaney felt a rush of angst.

  Nick pulled the phone from his back pocket and handed it to her. “Use mine.”

  With trembling fingers she dialed 9-1-1. The call was answered immediately. “I’d like to report a crime,” she said.

  “I know of more gold on the property,” Jeb interrupted. He focused on Delaney, his eyes devoid of emotion. “Let me go free and I’ll show you where.”

  Delaney’s attention split between the emergency operator and Jeb. More gold?

  “It’s bigger than the one Clem knows about.”

  So they really were trying to swindle Clem...

  Jeb tossed a glance toward Nick. “Your man here knows about it, too.”

  Staunch by her side, gun pointed at Jeb’s head, Nick replied, “Don’t listen to him. He’ll say anything to avoid jail time.”

  Delaney gaped at Nick, then Jeb.

  “He’s lying, Delaney.”

  “I’ll show you where it is,” Jeb said urgently. “Now—before lover boy cleans you out.”

  The operator was asking her something, but Delaney missed it. “What?” she asked into the phone and the woman repeated the question. Delaney glanced around. The three of them were faced off in the quiet of trees and brush, the anonymity of isolation. “We’re near an abandoned house, off old Miller Road. Maybe a mile or two into the forest,” she told the 911 operator.

  “You stand to lose a lot, Ms. Wilkins,” Jeb continued, a new tone of respect in his voice. “I can help you keep what’s rightly yours.”

  Delaney clenched the phone to her ear. “I don’t believe you,” she told him. Prodded by the operator, Delaney said, “Yes, yes, I’m still here. Yes, I’ll hold the line.”

  “You’re making a big mistake,” Jeb said.